Chongqing teen survives after jumping from 55m bridge

A 16-year-old female who attempted to commit suicide by jumping off the 55-meter high Yangtze River Bridge in Chongqing managed to survive, but suffered from multiple fractures, contusions and a bruised back.An eyewitness surnamed Zhong was driving past the bridge when he spotted a young girl dressed in red sitting on the railings with her legs dangling in the air. The man said the girl looked distressed and he was worried that she might attempt suicide, so he went up to try to talk her down.Another motorcyclist surnamed Liu also stopped upon seeing the girl and attempted to persuade her to come off the railings.As the two were about to call the police, the girl became emotional and leaped off the bridge. Others who witnessed the jump assumed she wouldn’t survive the plunge, however, seconds later, the girl surfaced in the water and was seen struggling in the Yangtze River. Several onlookers rushed over and pulled the girl out as they waited for an ambulance to arrive at the scene.Doctors said the girl’s back was badly bruised and her lungs were filled with water from the fall. She also suffered multiple fractures and soft tissue injuries all over her body.He added that while the girl is now conscious, she has refused to talk to anyone or reveal the reason for her attempted suicide.An expert explained in local reports that the teen’s hips may have hit the water first, meaning the force area was relatively smaller and no immediate damage was done to her organs.As the girl weighed about 42 kg and the bridge was over 50 meters tall, he estimated that the impact force was about 1.4 tons. He said the water would have been as hard as cement when the girl jumped from that height, and if she had fallen headfirst into the water, she most certainly wouldn’t have survived.

What to do if someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide:– Do not leave the person alone– Remove any sharp objects, alcohol, drugs or firearms that could be used in a suicide attempt– Take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional– Call the following hotlines for help: Lifeline Shanghai: 021-6279-8990 (English speakers; 10am – 10pm daily); HopeLine: 4001619995 (Chinese speakers; 24/7 toll-free access)